Potting mix

[Ray]

There used to be a grower (online somewhere, years ago) that grew his cymbidiums in "cow patties" with great success. Naturally dried, but not composted.

[WaterWitchin]

I grow them all in semi-hydro. Surprised, right?

[estación seca]

Originally Posted by WaterWitchin

I grow them all in semi-hydro. Surprised, right?

What containers? How far up the sides are the drainage holes?

[JScott]

Originally Posted by WaterWitchin

I grow them all in semi-hydro. Surprised, right?

Not in the least lol.

---------- Post added at 10:01 AM ---------- Previous post was at 09:59 AM ----------

Originally Posted by Ray

There used to be a grower (online somewhere, years ago) that grew his cymbidiums in "cow patties" with great success. Naturally dried, but not composted.

My dad is a dentist, but he also has a 125 acre cattle ranch, so getting cow patties would be very easy for me. And free. And I love free haha.

---------- Post added at 10:03 AM ---------- Previous post was at 10:01 AM ----------

So what I'm hearing is that Cymbidiums can grow in damn near anything, so I don't need to focus too much on growing medium. Just pick something I like, and they'll do just fine, yes?

[WaterWitchin]

Originally Posted by estación seca

What containers? How far up the sides are the drainage holes?

Depends on the size of the Cymb. Miniature to Medium sized ones, a one gallon up to 1-1/2 gallon tupperware, holes about 3" or so up. Like the tall square storage kind.



The one monster one, a 13 gallon kitchen trashcan, holes about 5-6" up. (Not a very good picture)





---------- Post added at 10:06 AM ---------- Previous post was at 10:04 AM ----------

Oh, and one in a plastic pot, maybe 14" or so across, hole about 4" or so up. Or maybe it's bigger? I haven't ever measured.

[Roberta]

Originally Posted by JScott

So what I'm hearing is that Cymbidiums can grow in damn near anything, so I don't need to focus too much on growing medium. Just pick something I like, and they'll do just fine, yes?

I think that's it! Being semi-terrestrial (I know someone who has one mounted, but that's another fun story...) they're not nearly as picky as the epiphytes. That, along with being root machines and tough as nails.

---------- Post added at 08:22 AM ---------- Previous post was at 08:11 AM ----------

Originally Posted by WaterWitchin

Depends on the size of the Cymb. Miniature to Medium sized ones, a one gallon up to 1-1/2 gallon tupperware, holes about 3" or so up. Like the tall square storage kind.

The one monster one, a 13 gallon kitchen trashcan, holes about 5-6" up.

---------- Post added at 10:06 AM ---------- Previous post was at 10:04 AM ----------

Oh, and one in a plastic pot, maybe 14" or so across, hole about 4" or so up.

Holy cow, how much do those WEIGH? Since you have to move them into the Batcave in the fall, and back out in spring!

[WaterWitchin]

Originally Posted by Roberta

Holy cow, how much do those WEIGH? Since you have to move them into the Batcave in the fall, and back out in spring!

They're actually really light. The trash can one, when I move it, I carry it to the stairs, turn around, I go down first and only take it down a couple of stairs at a time. Mostly so I don't fall down. I can carry it twenty or so feet before I have to sit it down for a minute.

---------- Post added at 10:29 AM ---------- Previous post was at 10:27 AM ----------

I don't think LECA is any heavier than bark. Maybe even less if the bark is wet.

[Dollythehun]

As an addition to Ray's cow pie semi-hijack... There used to be a family story about aunt Hilda. She used to come to the farm and search the barnyard for the"perfect" cow pie. It couldn't be too firm or fresh as legend has it she would put it in a brown paper bag and took it on the bus home. She immersed it in a 5 gallon bucket and made a manure tea concentrate. Years and years later we discovered there was no bus.

[estación seca]

My concern is the containers breaking while being moved with all the weight inside. I'm finding out some of my 2-quart / liter containers have become brittle even though indoors and not exposed to UV light. Most of the items you use don't have UV stabilizers added to the plastic.

[WaterWitchin]

Some of same containers have been in use for five to seven or more years, inside and outside, and still going strong. I haven’t seen a problem yet. And I don’t see much difference in weight from bark mix to LECA.